Actress Shelley Duvall, best known for her role as Jack Nicholson’s wife in Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, has passed away at the age of 75. Her long-time partner, Dan Gilroy, announced her death on Thursday morning, stating that she had been suffering from various health issues for over a decade.
Born on July 7, 1949, in Fort Worth, Texas, Duvall began her career in the early 1970s after meeting film director Robert Altman at a party. Altman cast her in several films, including McCabe & Mrs. Miller, Thieves Like Us, and Nashville, and she went on to win the best actress award at the Cannes Film Festival for her role in 3 Women.
Duvall’s experience working with Kubrick on The Shining was reportedly unbearable, with the director’s perfectionism and demanding style taking a toll on her mental and physical health. She has spoken publicly about the difficulties she faced during filming, including having to cry for hours on end and being required to perform the same scene multiple times. For instance, she filmed the baseball bat scene 127 times before the director was satisfied with a take.
Despite the challenges she faced, Duvall went on to have a successful career, appearing in a wide range of films and television shows, including Popeye, Time Bandits, Rocket Man, and Saturday Night Live. She also had a long-term relationship with musician Dan Gilroy, with whom she lived for over three decades.
Duvall’s death has been met with tributes from fans and colleagues alike, with many paying homage to her talent and dedication to her craft.
